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Rascal, 2002 Champion

You may recognize Rascal from his role as a zombie dog in the horror flick Tele-Zombie. This Chinese crested won the 2002 title at the World's Ugliest Dog Contest, a wacky and heartwarming competition that celebrates aesthetically-challenged canines and the humans who love them.

In honor of the contest's 25th anniversary, Lyons Press has published World's Ugliest Dogs, a behind-the-scenes look at the event, including notes on the judging criteria (extra points are awarded for "sad-sack eyes" and "droopy tails") and profiles of the most memorable competitors to prance across the stage. In the next slides, you'll meet some of those so-ugly-they're-adorable pups.

To see the dogs competing in this year's contest on June 21, at California's Sonoma-Marin Fair (and vote for your favorite), click here.

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Susie Lockheed

Sam, 2003, 2004, and 2005 Champion

In 1999, Susie Lockheed of Santa Barbara offered to foster Sam and quickly fell in love with the blind, snaggle-toothed Chinese crested. After winning his third consecutive World's Ugliest Dog title in 2005, Sam starred in an episode of Criss Angel's TV show, Mindfreak, as Angel's cat, dressed up in a Halloween costume.

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Brett Klenk / bckphotography.com

Archie, 2006 Champion

Despite stiff competition from an Italian greyhound and a Chinese crested named Lucille Bald, Archie won the Pedigree class in the 2006 competition, then went on to beat the victor of the Mutt class, Pee Wee Martini. His owner, Heather Peoples, lovingly described Archie as a "hairless sausage."

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Scott Hess / scotthessphoto.com

Elwood, 2007 Champion

With his bug eyes and snub nose, Elwood bears an uncanny resemblance to E.T. His owner, Karen Quigley, found Elwood at her local SPCA and took him home to live with a pack of other rescue dogs in her home in New Jersey. After Elwood's victory at the World's Ugliest Dog Contest, he and Quigley became ambassadors for rescue dogs everywhere, appearing at more than 200 events and raising thousands of dollars for nonprofit animal organizations.

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Scott Hess / scotthessphoto.com

Gustopher Von Hausen Mausen (aka Gus), 2008 Champion

Gus, who was rescued from a neglectful home as a puppy, quickly won over the crowd at the 2008 contest. Hairless but for a sparse white plume atop his head, the one-eyed, mottled pooch was battling cancer and had already lost a hind leg to the disease. After seizing the 2008 title, Gus passed away the next year.

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Scott Hess / scotthessphoto.com

Pabst, 2009 Champion

A boxer mix with a severe underbite, Pabst got his name because he had a "bitter-beer face." His owner, Miles Egstad, had entered Pabst in the World's Ugliest Dog Contest on a lark, never expecting him to win: "I don't think he's that ugly," Miles said.

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Shine Pet Photos

Princess Abby, 2010 Champion

Princess Abby, an inbred Chihuahua born in a puppy mill with hind legs much longer than her front legs, has a permanent arch in her back and an inverted floppy foot. But her owner, Kathleen Francis of Clearlake, California, thinks she's beautiful nonetheless.

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Kira Stackhouse / Nuena.com

Yoda, 2011 Champion

When Terry Devine Schumacher's daughter found Yoda in a field 16 years ago, Schumacher mistook him for a rat. Weighing in at 1.8 pounds, the scruffy little mutt got the last laugh in 2011, with a trophy fifteen times her size.

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Kira Stackhouse / Nuena.com

Mugly, 2012 Champion

Mugly was the World's Ugliest Dog Contest's first international contestant. He and his owner, Bev Nicholson, flew in from the U.K. to beat out 28 other pups for the top prize and a year's supply of dog cookies, er, biscuits.

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You can purcase a copy of World's Ugliest Dogs:The Official World's Ugliest Dog Contest Bookhere